In traditional Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.3 Ethernet standards, such as Gigabit Ethernet (1 GE) and 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 GE), data rates may be defined. The data rates may be based on specified cable types, electromagnetic noise that can occur in a cable that runs alongside one or more other signal-carrying cables (alien crosstalk), and cable length. For example, 1000 Base-T (which is a standard for 1 GE, also known as 802.3ab) specifies a maximum cable length of 100 meters using Category 5 cable or better. Alternatively, 10 G Base-T (which is a standard for 10 GE, also known as 802.3an) specifies a maximum cable length of 100 meters using Category 6a cable or better. Under the 10 G Base-T standard, alien crosstalk may be handled by a required cable bundle of six cables grouped around a single cable.
In most Enterprise Access networks, conditions may or may not meet the specified standards. When conditions are worse than desired, it may result in unreliable performance for end users. On the other hand, conditions better than specified may result in limiting the deployment options of the network. In prior systems, Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) Engineering Committee TR-42 has proposed performing cable characterization tests on cable at the time of cable installation. Gathered characterization data may then be used to determine possible data rates that can be used while still providing reliable performance.
However, upon the application of multi-Gig (mGig) standards, such as IEEE Next Generation Enterprise Access BASE-T (NGEABT—802.3bz) over currently installed cables, the cable data will be unknown for new data rates (such as 2.5 G and 5 G). For example, the NGEABT standard may provide multi-rate 2.5 G/5 G standard for 802.11ac Wave 2. Such standard application may lead to at least two problems upon installation. First, data rate performance on the network links upon startup may be negatively affected. Furthermore, dynamic noise conditions caused by alien cross talk as well as variations due to temperature, voltage, and link speed changes amongst the aggressors in a particular cabling arrangement (for example, in a cable bundle of six cables grouped around a single cable, the six cables are aggressor cables, while the single cable may be referred to as the victim cable.
Prior approaches have attempted to re-characterize previously installed cables to determine 2.5 G or 5 G data rate selection. However, such an approach may be very costly due to the large currently installed base number of Cat 5e and Cat 6 cables.